(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of copper decontamination and cleaning of surfaces and tools in the fabrication of integrated circuits, and more particularly, to a method of copper decontamination and cleaning of surfaces and tools by dissolving copper in a vapor phase.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
The evolution of copper interconnect processes in the semiconductor manufacturing industry involves integrating copper into the existing fabrication process, which consists mainly of aluminum processes. In such dual-metal Fabs, incidents of copper spills and factory-wide cross-contamination must be contained. At present, Isopropyl Alcohol is commonly used to wipe and clean copper. This method is inadequate as traces of copper are usually left in minute quantities sufficient to cause further contamination It is desired to provide an effective method of cleaning copper spills and completely removing copper contamination from the surface of tools and equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,334 to Nguyen et al teaches cleaning of copper oxides on copper lines by using .beta.-diketone vapor. This method uses a reaction that is almost exclusively to copper oxide and not to copper. U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,192 to Nguyen et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,767,301 to Senzaki et al teach the use of hfac as a precursor in copper deposition.